Watchcase



July 7, 1931- c. WINTERHALTER WATCHCASE Filed March 9. 1929 mabdd :odg l inf. F

. Mfahr br /NveNTv/ Patented July 7, 1931 UNITED STATES CORNELIUS WIN TERHALTER, OF LE LOCLE, SWITZERLAND WATCHCASE AppIicaton led March 9, 1929, Serial No. 345,666, and in Switzerland February 16, 1929.

The present invention relates to watch cases and consists in the arrangement of a pair of shutters which are masking the dial and are kept closed under the effect of 1i' springs, but are moved apart by a pull transmitted to them by lazy tongs when it is desired to disclose the dial. These lazy tongs are attached with their outer ends to said shutters and have fixed pivot points provided on the frame. The frame is elongated and has at its narrow sides slidingly arranged push-plates attached to the tongs and serving as means for moving the shutters masking the dial.

The push-plates are guided inside of the frame by means of pins arranged in pairs coaxially and separated by springs by the effect of which the shutters remain closed.

A working example of the invention has been represented about three times natural size in the annexed drawings, Where Fig. l is a sectional view on line I-I of the Fig. 2 which is a sectional view on line II-II in the Fig. l.

The Fig. 3 is a section on line III-III of the Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 a front view showing the shutters open and a part of the casing cut out so as to show the winding stem.

The represented watch case comprises a frame defining a space occupied by the watch movement and formed of two head plates a and two side-rails b. To these latter are fixed by means of screws c1 the guide bars c, seen best in Fig. 3, and having grooves as guiding means of the shutters d which are adapted to shut off:i the space of said frame. The shutters are hinged at d1 to the end links e1 of the lazy tongs e which have their fixed pivots at e2 on the head plates a and are hinged with their other ends at e3 to the push plates j', f1. To each of these push plates are fixed a pair of pins g the two pairs being arranged coaxially to each other in the bores t and separated by helical springs r 7L which have the tendancy to move the two pairs of pins apart. The movement of the pins transmitted to the push plates f, f1 will workthe lazy tongs so as to move the shutters d towards each other. A movement 5" in a contrary sense that is a simultaneous pressure exerted on the push plates f, 1 by holding the case between the thumb and the fingers of one hand moves the shutters apart and unmasks the dial z' of the watch. If the push plates are released when for instance the watch has to be put into the pocket the shutters will come to bear on each other and will cover the glass k which protects the movement.

The push plate f1 as shown in the Fig. 2 60 is not made in one piece. It comprises also a cap Z hinged at m. By uplifting this cap the winding button n of the winding and setting to time mechanism will be uncovered.

A sleeve 0 provided with the winding button 65 a and rotatably held within the push late f1 is coupled to the winding stem p o the watch by means of a pin 9 fixed to this stem and engaged in a slot of said sleeve.

The sliding movementof the push plates will therefore not interfere with the winding mechanism.

The whole is enclosed in a casing r having two open ends and a wicket s showing the dial. This casing is made with hinges, but of course the two halves could also be assembled in another way. Since bezel and back of the casing, as shown, are made of hard springy sheet metal, and since the whole width of the casing does not exceed 7/8 of an inch, there will be no binding between the shutting edge of the bezel and the edge of the guide bar c. This said edge of the bezel will glide resiliently over said guide bar.

What I claim as new is:

In a watch having a movement provided with a dial and a winding stem, a case comprising in combination; and oblong frame formed of two head plates and two side rails so arranged as to define a movement-receiving opening, said side rails each having a longitudinally coextensive bore and one of the push plates having a bore for the winding stem of the movement; a push plate at each end of the frame having pins fixed thereto and fitted slidingly within said bores and helical springs inserted into-said bores between the pins of the two push plates, grooved guide bars .fi-Yad te Said,

rails and shutters tted slidngly intosaid bars and adapted to mark the movement-receiving opening, a lazy tongue pivotally held on each of said head plates and attached with one end to a shutter and With the other end to the respective push plate, a sleeve carrying the Winding knob and fitted l,rotatably into the respective push plate .and slidably over the Winding stern, and a` coupling between sleeve and Winding stem of the movement, said coupling formed l of a pin fixed to the stem and engaged into a slot of the sleeve.

In testimony whereof I afhx Iny signatuie,

'f so 

